Beware the Slenderman

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Beware the Slenderman

2016

1h 57m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

85%

Tomatometer

26 Reviews

52%

Popcornmeter

500+ Ratings

The mythos of a faceless, digital-age bogeyman known as Slenderman was created on the Internet, but his influence was felt in the real world when two 12-year-old girls lured their friend into the woods for a brutal murder.

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Critics Consensus

Though it gets a bit lost in the details, Beware the Slenderman avoids exploiting its young subjects, instead providing insights into the looming dangers that lurk on the internet.

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Lenika Cruz

The Atlantic

Feb 4, 2017

While Beware the Slenderman isn't an easy watch-and will undoubtedly inspire anxiety and panic in some viewers, particularly parents-it's a worthy one that helps make sense of a senseless crime.

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Johanna Schneller

Toronto Star

Jan 31, 2017

Harnessing the simplicity and reach of the Internet is an appropriate technique for this doc, because it's about just that. But using Skype is also a genius tip for any doc maker on a budget. Which is every doc maker.

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Nick Schager

The Daily Beast

Jan 27, 2017

What emerges is a portrait of the internet as the birthplace of contemporary folklore -- a virtual campfire in which disparate users come together to channel, and distill, their fears, anxieties, and dreams into fanciful tales, la the Brothers Grimm.

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Jason Shawhan

Nashville Scene

Sep 10, 2021

Beware the Slenderman is a deeply sad and ultimately tragic story that will make you consider how our legal, medical and mental health systems are actually working. You won't sleep well, but not for supernatural reasons.

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Jorge Loser

Espinof

Aug 16, 2019

The film focuses in details of the case, and tries to associate its two aspects without achieving a conclusive correlation or a solid theory to hold on to.[Full Review in Spanish]

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Trace Thurman

Bloody Disgusting

Oct 31, 2018

4/5

A truly terrifying look at the influence the internet can have on today's youth.

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Tyler P.

@TylerPhoenixMD Nov 26, 2025

Decent if you wanted to know what went down.

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Evan O

@RT99281509 Dec 4, 2022

This documentary centered around the 2014 Slenderman Stabbing is very emotional, especially for the parents of Morgan Geyser and Anissa Weier. Luckily, Payton Luetner, who was stabbed 19 times survived.

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Apr 5, 2021

Outrageous that the government allows minors that by undisputed scientific certainty don't have a fully developed brain and even a less developed decision-making part of the brain to waive their rights. Disgusting really. But good documentary

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May 20, 2020

To often documentaries try to be artsy like an indie film. I just want to see the basic facts of what happened. No need for long panoramic shots for dramatic effect. This horrible story did not need to be told like this.

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Apr 27, 2020

Didn't like the way it was made necessarily but the story is chilling.

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Feb 7, 2020

I love a good documentary and when I learn something new. This is definitely worth a watch. To be picky, I didn't find the visual effect of the bar scrolling up the screen during the interviews to be helpful or of importance and it distracted me from what the interviewees were saying. Overall, good film 4.8/5

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Irene Taylor

Director

Morgan Geyser

Self

Anissa Weier

Self

Richard Dawkins

Self

Sophie Harris

Producer

Nick Midwig

Cinematographer

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Synopsis

The mythos of a faceless, digital-age bogeyman known as Slenderman was created on the Internet, but his influence was felt in the real world when two 12-year-old girls lured their friend into the woods for a brutal murder.

Director: Irene Taylor
Producer: Sophie Harris, Sheila Nevins
Production Co: HBO Documentary Films, Vermilion Films
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): May 22, 2017
Runtime: 1h 57m

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